Billed as the largest parallel counter-rotating twin-screw extruder ever built, the Argos 173 from Cincinnati Extrusion, Erlanger, Ky., has 173-mm diam. screws, 1 mm larger than Cincinnati Milacron's TP 172, the previous record holder. Cincinnati Extrusion's next-largest size is 135 mm. The first Argos 173 was scheduled to start up last month at a large U.S. processor of PVC sheet, where it will be used to make low-density trim boards. It's designed to produce 4400 lb/hr of solid or foamed PVC sheet. The giant machine has 28:1 L/D, is 9.5 meters long, and weighs 30 tons. It has a three-piece barrel, redesigned low-shear screw, internal screw cooling, and air-cooled barrel. It foams PVC from a starting density of 1.4 g/cc down to 0.5 g/cc. Tel: (859) 746-1530 . www.cet-austria.com The die, built by EMO Extrusion Molding GmbH in Micheldorf, Austria, produces sheet up to 31 mm thick and 1400 mm wide. Tel: +43 (7582) 609 22 . www.emo.at